1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for dressing the cutting edge of an inner peripheral blade for use in a slicing machine which is used to slice a silicone ingot or the like into thin wafers in a semiconductor manufacturing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in a slicing machine, when the cutting quality of the cutting edge of an inner peripheral blade is lowered or worsened, then a necessary dressing operation is performed on the cutting edge of the inner peripheral blade judging from the then worsened conditions thereof.
Here, the cutting edge of the inner peripheral blade is formed by fixing diamond powders to the inner peripheral edges of a doughnut-shaped metal plate. To dress the thus formed cutting edge, a grindstone of a high density is applied against the cutting edge and the manner of application of the grindstone is adjusted by an operator according to his or her judgement on the part of the cutting edge to be dressed, which judgement is based on the direction of bending of the inner peripheral blade, during the ingot slicing, slicing resistance occurring during the ingot slicing, and the like. In other words, what kind of dressing is made depends on the judgement of the operator. This means that a proper way of dressing cannot be always selected and thus this is not always reasonable.
Also, in the conventional manner of dressing, a dressing stick must be manually pushed against the inner peripheral blade that is rotating at high speeds. But, such manual operation may raise a danger to the operator.